Lots of lube will be helpful. If dry clay hits some rubber surfaces it'll mar the surface just a little, barely enough to change the texture but enough that it might matter if you're very particular.
Otherwise, I've never had any problems from stuff like this. No need to really protect it from the clay, just consider using small pieces of clay that you can mold to the shape you want/need. With a little care you can work right up against most anything without hitting it, just don't try it with a huge chunk of clay, use little pieces.